How to Find Connecticut Birth Records

How to Find United States Births Connecticut Births

In Connecticut, towns were created starting in the early 1630s. Births were and are recorded by town clerks, starting with the beginning of the town. Statewide registration of births began in 1897 in Connecticut and was generally complied with by 1915. The towns have copies of these records.

Next Step: When did the birth occur?	Birth Records Choose a time period: Births before 1897 1897 to the Present Birth year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

Births before 1897

Birth records were kept by each town clerk. Early town clerks put birth records in town records and in land records. After about 1850, birth information was only put in town records. Town clerks were usually good at recording birth information. The towns continue to keep birth records. These are described further in Connecticut Town Records.

Following the Revolutionary War to about 1870, records were not always recorded.

In 1870, the State Board of Health established. Record keeping in towns improved.

Connecticut towns are like western townships, so several populated places are in a town's borders. The name of the town is used in official records rather than the name of the populated place.

If you do not find birth information in the town where your ancestor was born, you may need to look at substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place or try the records in a neighboring town.

Step 1 - Check indexes

Most online resources for Connecticut Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index, consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.

• Discover Your Family History search on FamilySearch.org - Free. Indexes many of the births recorded in town records. The former International Genealogical Index (IGI) is part of this.
  

• Barbour Collection by Jane Devlin, hosted by Rootsweb - Free (see also the Wiki article Barbour Collection)
  

• Connecticut Collections on FamilySearch.org - Free. This is a growing database.
  

• Connecticut Databases listed on Rootsweb.com- Free. Arranged by town. Only a few birth lists are currently in the database.

Two film indexes are:

• Bowman Collection. This is a card index to Connecticut birth, marriage, and death notices in Massachusetts newspapers, 1800 to 1900. FHL films 002884-885.
  

• Index to the Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin, Vols 1-8.This is an index at the Connecticut State Library and is on microfilm at the Family History Library. FHL film 002886. It indexes the names found in the Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin. FHL book 974.6 H25c.

Step 2 - Check original records

In Connecticut, the following types of records often have birth information:

• Land records
  
• Town records
  

Most of the land and town records have been filmed and are available through the FamilySearch site at family history centers, the Connecticut State Library, and the Family History Library.

To find the film numbers:

1. Go to the Family History Library Catalog
   
2. Do a Place Search for the name of the town.
   
3. On the list of record types for the town, click Vital Records for a list of the available records, including town records and land records.
   
4. Click titles with the town clerk as the author. Though the original records were usually made by town clerk, sometimes the records were made by a court or the registrar of vital statistics.

Step 3 - Check other types of records

You can also search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Records that give birth information:
Birth Records Cemetery Records Newspapers Probate (wills, etc) Tax Records	Church Records Census Bible Records Military Records

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births 1897 to the Present

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information

Limited births maybe found in the following databases. Try each link. 

Connecticut Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try 1st:
		Free;
Try 2nd:
	1649-1906 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index to town birth, baptism and christening records. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and FamilySearch centers. Description of records.
Next try:
Ancestry database: Includes Index Only
Choose one of the following:
		Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center
	- use your own Ancestry subscription]	$, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library
	Can't access Ancestry?	Go to Step Two: Part B listed below. You may be able to order the birth record for your ancestor from the West Virginia Department of Health State Office.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate

PART A: You know the exact date of birth

With an exact date (from your records or the index above), you can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations:

To Order Birth Certificates
From County of Birth		From CT Deptment of Public Health office
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	Town websites can be more difficult to use	Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee	May be more expensive than ordering from the town

See list of restrictions for ordering birth records

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.

PART B: You don't know the exact date of birth

If you do not know the exact date or place of birth:
For a fee, the West Virginia Department of Health office will do a 3 year search.

See list of restrictions for ordering birth records

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Restrictions for Obtaining Birth Records

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years from the government agency, you must be:

• The person on the certificate
• The parents and grandparents of person on the certificate
• The wife or husband of the person on the certificate
• The children and grandchildren of the person on the certificate
• The brothers or sisters of the person on the certificate
• Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate

NOTE: A copy of the birth record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

• Learn more about U.S. birth records
• How to find U.S. marriage records
• How to find U.S. death records
• United States Record Selection Table
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• United States Vital Records
• Locating United States Vital Records
• United States Death Records
• United States Marriage Records

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.